BOYS' OWN COLUMN.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 279, 24 November 1928, Page 2 (Supplement)

BOYS' OWN COLUMN.

MOCK ELECTIONS IN SCHOOLS.

INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE ROMPS HOME.

My Dear Boys,— On November 14, Auckland was indeed a busy city. There were polling booths here and there, and people flocked in hundreds to these pfsces to record their votes which would choose members to sit in Parliament during the next three years. Many Auck-and schools held model elections, and perhaps one of the most pompous affairs war, held at Kowhai Junior High School. On the 14th the boys of 2D Modarn celebrated the important occasion, and with a cupboard and a desk which had partted company with its top as a ballot box they, too, held an election. There were five candidates standing—l Reform, 1 Labour, 1 United and 2 Independents. ' '

About five weeks ago the class split up into parties and nominated their representatives. The following Friday afternoon the Reform man gave h l3 address, and on the nest two Friday afternoons United and Labour laid down their policy. The two Independents spoke on the fourth Friday, and on the fifth'all candidates were allowed five minutes to give their finaL address.

n „ f I*l «"fl P ''^ Ur t°, f th ° Par!lame nlary campaign was carried out to- the full, and Mr. Kelso, who is in charge of the form, « aV e the prospective members " a grounding as to what was expected of them and having seen to the election of their chairman, he stepped back from hie limelight ,The apeech of each candidate lasted 20 minutes, and for the remaining 10 minutes the "audience" were permitted to ask questions As the General Election drew closer and the boys learned more or the doings of the real campaign interjections began, but the class accepted the election as a serious thing, and the candidates' chairman dealt with all cases without the help of the "Guardian of the Peace" who was represented by the form master. ?^ T ?t aC M aI y f aS - to °H , pkce ° n the 14th > and somewhere about 2 rt. U relurn,r 'S ° ffi «r and scrutineer completed checking the votes, the results were made knov/n. elected 1 havil , 1S a maJO^ ity ° f 12 vot ". was elected and .jchroeder, i,e Labour member, came nest with. 10 votes to h, credit The Reform member, Le Grice, came next with 8 votes, to be fohowed by Independent, 5 votes, and United, nil. Cf) The final results made known, f U T Munns thanked the electors and assured them that he would do his best for ttem during his term of office. ***^